Last updated:
Developed by DRDO, Anwesha is a hyperspectral Earth-observation satellite designed to provide India with fast surveillance and terrain-classification capability.
PSLV-C62 will carry EOS-N1 and 15 co-passenger satellites. (Image: X/@ISRO)
India is preparing to place a new high-resolution surveillance asset in orbit at a time when satellite-based imaging has become central to defense planning, disaster response and terrain assessment.
Earth-observing missions around the world have increasingly shifted from broad-band cameras to more advanced spectral instruments that are able to identify materials, detect hidden objects, and read changes in land conditions with far greater accuracy.
In this context, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is set to launch Earth Observation Satellite-N1 (EOS-N1) Anvesha today on Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C62 (PSLV-C62) mission.
Developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Anvesha is a hyperspectral Earth-observation satellite designed to provide India with fast surveillance and terrain-classification capabilities. The rocket is scheduled to lift off at 10.18 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
This flight also marks the return of PSLV after the 2025 anomaly. Along with Anwesha, the mission carries 15 domestic and international co-passenger satellites, including seven satellites from Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space, reflecting the growing depth of India’s private space ecosystem.
What EOS-N1 Anvesha brings to India’s surveillance capabilities
Anvesha has been developed by DRDO’s Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE) as a mini-satellite weighing 100 to 150 kg. It will operate in a low Earth orbit of approximately 600 kilometers. Its main strength lies in its hyperspectral imaging payload, capturing hundreds of narrow spectral bands rather than the three broad color channels typically associated with satellite imagery.
Every natural or artificial surface reflects light in a unique pattern in these narrow bands. By capturing this information, Anvesha can identify materials with far greater accuracy than standard optical sensors, distinguish between vegetation types, read soil characteristics, detect moisture levels and distinguish camouflage from the natural environment.
Indian Space Association (ISPA) Director General Lieutenant General AK Bhatt (Retd) described the capability clearly: “This breakthrough technology enables hyperspectral imaging across hundreds of narrow spectral bands, far exceeding conventional RGB imaging.”
“It will provide unprecedented capabilities for material identification, strategic surveillance and national security, including applications in missile defense surveillance,” he said. The Hindu,
For the armed forces, this means a high-fidelity picture of ground conditions and infrastructure, especially in sensitive border areas where visibility, terrain strength and concealment play a key role in operational decisions.
How does hyperspectral imaging actually work
Every material interacts with light differently. Water absorbs some parts of the spectrum, while vegetation reflects others. Hyperspectral sensors capture these subtle differences, which experts call “spectral signatures.” To decode these signatures, scientists create spectral libraries using instruments such as spectroradiometers, which measure light reflected from pure samples of soil, water, vegetation or man-made surfaces.
Once a satellite like Anwesha captures spectral data, automated systems compare it with these libraries to classify or identify whatever is on the ground. When combined with mapping tools and 3D terrain models, hyperspectral imaging allows for more accurate route planning, risk assessment after natural disasters, and better monitoring of hidden or suspicious structures.
These capabilities extend beyond defence. They support agricultural monitoring, climate studies, mineral surveys, and search and rescue operations. With hyperspectral data, it becomes possible to detect early signs of crop stress, monitor environmental degradation or assess the impact of floods with more fine-grained detail.
Inside Payload Electronics: The Role of Indian Industry
A significant part of Anwesha’s sophistication comes from its payload electronics, designed to operate, calibrate, and process the output of the hyperspectral sensor. Centum Electronics Ltd., a core member of ISpA, developed the complete payload electronics suite for IRDE. According to Lt Gen Bhat, the system controls the detector, distributes power, conditions the analog signal, digitizes the data and formats the hyperspectral output for downlink to ground stations.
These subsystems are critical to maintaining sensor performance during orbit, ensuring that data is synchronized, stable, and ready for analysis. The involvement of private industry at this level reflects how defence-space missions are gradually moving towards a more collaborative ecosystem involving government laboratories and specialized Indian companies.
Anwesha and India’s rapidly expanding military space roadmap
Anwesha is the second DRDO satellite of this category to be launched in less than five years. In 2021, DRDO deployed Indus Eye, which was designed to help the Indian Navy monitor maritime activity in the South China Sea and surrounding waters.
India’s military space plans have gained momentum since Operation Sindoor. In October 2024, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a major expansion of India’s surveillance constellation under Phase III of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS-III) programme. With an allocation of around Rs 26,968 crore, the initiative includes plans to launch 52 dedicated military surveillance satellites to enhance border surveillance and intelligence gathering capability.
Anwesha adds hyperspectral depth to this emerging network, providing a layer of content-detection and concealment-detection that traditional electro-optical or radar satellites cannot offer on their own.
PSLV-C62: ISRO’s ‘workhorse’ returns after a setback
Today’s launch is ISRO’s first PSLV mission after the May 2025 anomaly in the rocket’s third stage. The PSLV has enabled many of India’s landmark missions including Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission, Aditya-L1 and Astrosat and has long been considered one of the world’s most reliable medium-lift launchers.
ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan in a statement underlined the importance of the return to flight ndtv: “India’s workhorse rocket will showcase what ISRO can do for user agencies. The main passenger protects India from the skies and the little co-passenger shows how India’s private space sector is thriving, with just one Hyderabad company, Dhruv Space, contributing seven satellites, setting a new benchmark.”
This mission is also the ninth dedicated commercial flight launched by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO.
A diverse group of co-travellers: Dhruv Space leads the pack
The PSLV-C62 mission carries 15 co-passenger satellites with Anvesha. A standout feature of this flight is the contribution of Dhruv Space, which is providing seven satellites, the largest contribution by a single Indian private company on a single mission.
These satellites include platforms for connectivity, remote sensing and academic research, developed with institutions such as Dayanand Sagar University, CV Raman Global University and Assam Don Bosco University.
Dhruv Space is supplying satellite deployers and also providing ground station support. The company recently received India’s first license for Ground Station-as-a-Service from the Indian National Space Augmentation and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe), enabling it to provide communications support for both Indian and international missions.
Other payloads on board include satellites from France, Nepal, Brazil and the United Kingdom. The manifest also includes the Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator (KID), a small prototype re-entry vehicle developed by Spanish start-up Orbital Paradigm. After deployment, KID is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and fall into the South Pacific Ocean, making it one of the more unusual co-passengers on the mission.
OrbitAid Aerospace’s OilSat, an experimental payload testing on-orbit refueling concepts, is also part of the launch.
Why is PSLV-C62 important for India’s space future?
The PSLV-C62 mission brings together three key aspects of India’s evolving space landscape. This marks the comeback of PSLV and strengthens confidence after last year’s failure. It places a DRDO hyperspectral satellite in orbit that enhances India’s surveillance, mapping and national-security capability. And it reflects the maturity of India’s private sector, which is moving beyond small payloads to building satellites, deploying them and operating ground infrastructure.
If the launch goes ahead as planned, the mission will strengthen India’s position as a trusted launch provider and underline the country’s shift towards a more integrated, multi-stakeholder space ecosystem.
January 12, 2026, 09:19 IST
read more
